Joseph thomas



(No Model.)

J. THOMAS.

GIOTH CUTTING MACHINE.

UNTTED STATES JOsErH frHOMAs, OE NEW YORK,

PATENT OFFICE.

N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE THOMAS MACHINE CUTTING COMPANY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 340,964, dated April 27, 1886.

Application iiledFebruary 8, 1886. Serial No. 191,187. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JosErH THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in C1othCutting Machines 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,'and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that classof ma chines for cutting cloth or other materials in l which an endless cutting-blade is employed, traveling around a series of rollers journaled on an approximatelycircular supportingfraine; and it consists, first, in a machine of this class comprising a circular frame having au opening in one of its sides, an endless belt passing around a series of rollers journaled upon one side of the said frame, in through the opening in the frame, and over a roller journaled therein opposite the said opening, and an endless cutting-blade iitting tightly around the outside of and traveling with the said endless belt, (which is formed of leather or other suitable material to adapt it to form a cushion of sulicient yielding qualities,) except at the point where the cutting-blade spans the opening in the circular frame.

My invention further consists in means for adjusting the tension of the cutting-bladeand endless belt, and in certain other improvements, which will all be hereinafter fully de scribed, and pointed ont in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a side view oi" my improved machine for cutting cloth. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the forward portion of the machine.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A

.represents the base of the machine, upon which is secured in a vertical position the circular frame B, having the opening B in one of its sides, through which the table C, on which the material to be cut is supported, extends.

To one side of the lower half of the frame B are journaled, on short stub-axles D, the rollers D, the said rollers being arranged in a semicircular forni and having their outer ends formed with flanges D2, which serve to prevent the endless belt from slipping or working off of the said rollers, as will be hereinafter described. Upon the same side of the upper half of the frame B is secured at one of its ends, by means of the pivot-bolt E, the two semicircular frame pieces F, which form the upper roller-frame, and between which are journaled, on short stub-axles G, the upper series of rollers, H, which are arranged in a semicircular form, as shown, and which are here shown as without anges, as the outer framepiece F prevents the endless belt from working off of the said rollers. It is obvious, however, that the outer frame-piece F might be dispensed with, and the outer ends of the rollers H formed with flanges, like the lower series of rollers. The opposite end of the inner frame-piece F to that which is supported by the pivot-bolt E rests upon and is sup ported by ablock, I, secured to the side of the frame B, and a slotted plate, J, is secured by a pivot-bolt passing through its upper end to the said end of the rollirame piece F, and extends down over the block I, a set-screw, II, passing through the slot of the said plate into the said block, by which arrangement the outer end of the upper roller-frame may be raised or lowered, to adjust the tension of the cutting-blade and endless belt, and secured in its adjusted position.

Diametrically opposite to the opening in the frame B is journaled, against the side of the said frame, a disk, M, (the frameBbeing formed at that point with a collar or projecting portion, which brings the disk M out in thesamc plane as the circular series o f rollers which carry the endless belt and cutting-blade,) and a smaller disk, N, is secured upon the outer face of the disk M, concentric with it, and an outwardly-projecting brackct,O, projects from the outer side of the frame B, opposite to the said disks, and has a pulley, I), journaled upon its side, which pulley receives its motion from the driving-power,'and has a belt, Q, passing around it and around the smaller disk N. li' desired, the outwardly-proj ecting bracket may be dispensed with and the power applied di- ICO rectly to the smaller disk N, as will bereadily understood.

R indicates the endless belt, which may be composed ofleather, woven fabric, or any other suitable material which will forni a cushion of sufficient yielding quality for the endless cut.- ting-blade, the said belt encircling the rollers D and H, extending around their outer sides and passing in through the opening B of the frame B and around the disk M, from which it receives its motion. A thin endless cutting-blade, S, of steel, having one of its edges sharpened, fits tightly around and travels with the exterior side of the endless belt R, except at the point where it spans the opening in the side of the frame, as shown. The endless belt R is composed of leather, woven fabric, or other suitable material, and the endless cutting-blade S presses tightly against the outside of the said endless belt, so thaty when the endless belt is caused .to travel around the rollers of the circular frame Bit will bear with sufficient pressure against the inner side of the thin iiexible endless cutting-blade S to cause the same to travel with it by friction, as will be readily understood. The table has a slot, T, having rollers T journaled at its edges, and the endless cutting-blade passes between these guide-rollers, vbearing with its sides against the rollers; and U indicates a bracket or guide-arm having a slot in its horizontal portion, by means of which it-is secured adj ustably to the stationary frame B above the table, as shown, by means of a setscrew, U', while in the lower end of the downwardlyprojecting arm of the bracket are journaled two guide-disks, VV, between which the endless cutting-blade passes above the material to be cut, which is lying on the table, the guide-rollers above and in the slotted table serving to guide and support the endless cutting-blade at the very point where it is operating on the fabric being cut, so that it will not break when in use. It will be seen that the cutting-blade will be carried along with the endless belt, and that cloth may be placed upon the table, and by bringing it to bear against the edge of the endless cutting-blade. the cloth will be cut by the said blade in the'same manner as a board is cut by an endless saW-blade, and that a number of layers of cloth may be cut at the same time, thus enabling a number of patterns to be cut out of a piece of cloth at once, all the patterns cut out at the saine time being exactly alike. It will also be seen that the endless belt R forms an elastic cushion for the endless cutting-blade, the cutting-blade encircling the said endless belt for its entire length, except at the point where it spans the aperturein the side of the frame B, and by this arrangement vthe endless cutting-blade is capable of being drawn to iit far more tightly and closely around the elastic cushion formed by the endless belt, which it incloses, than is possible where the cuttingblade comes in direct contact with the rollers of the frame, which are, of course, hard and inelastic. brought into contact with the exterior of an endless cutting-blade, it tends, first, to exercise a pull or strain upon the endless blade before it reaches the said point of contact, and after the cutting-blade leaves the point ot' contact with the drivebelt the belt serves to push the endless blade away from the said point -of contact, as will be readily understood, thereby tending to buckle the cutting blade as it leaves the point of contact with the drive-belt, no matter now tightly it may be sought to draw the said belt around the hard inelastic rollers upon which it is directly seated. By first placing the endless belt around the rollers of the frame, and then iitting the endless` cutting-blade tightly and closely encircling the said belt, (the blade being drawn far more tightly around the elastic cushion formed by the belt than it lis possible to draw it around the bare hard inelastic rollers,) all such danger of the endless blade being buckled is entirely prevented. Moreover, ifthe `joint of the endless cutting-blade, or any inequality which might exist or be formed by accident in the sides of the said blade, should at any time catch or tend to retard, even for an instant, the progress of the blade through the thick pile of cloth or other material being cut, the elastic cushion beneath the entire blade, which the said blade incloses, would, through its elasticity, give sufficiently to prevent the breaking of the endless cutting-blade under strains which would tend to break a similar blade tightly encircling and' in direct contact with hard inelastic rollers.

It is obvious that the lower series of rollers, around which the endless belt and cuttingblade pass, may be madeadj ustable in the same manner as the Lipper series of rollers without departing from the spirit of my invention. rllhe outer flanged ends of the said rollers prevent the endless beltfrom working offofthem, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, i`s- 1. The combination, with a circular frame having anopening in one of its sides, of an endless belt supported by and traveling around the said frame, entering the opening in the side thereof and passing around a rollerjournaled within the said frame opposite the said opening, and an endless cutting-blade fitting tightly around and traveling with the exterior side of the endless belt, except at the point where it spans the opening in the said frame.

2. The combination, with a circular frame having an opening in one of its sides and provided with a series of rollers upon one of its sides, of an endless belt supported by and traveling around the said rollers entering the opening in the side of the frame and passing around a roller journaled within the frame opposite the said opening, and an endless cutting-blade fitting tightly around and traveling with the exterior side ofthe endless belt, except Where the driving-belt isA IIO at the point where it spans the opening in the said frame.

3. The combination, with a circular frame having an opening in one of its sides, of the lower series of rollers having the iianged outer ends and arranged as described, the semicircular roller-frame carrying the upper series of rollers journaled therein and pivotally secured at one of its ends to the side of the eircular frame, means for supporting and adjusting the free end of the said roller-frame, the endless belt supported by and traveling around the said rollers entering the opening in the side of the circular frame and passing around a roller journalcd within the frame opposite the said opening, and an endless cutting-blade fitting tightly around and traveling with the exterior side of the said endless belt, except at the point where it spans the opening in the said circular frame.

4. The combination,with the circular frame having an opening in one side, of a bracket adjustably secured thereto by means ol' a setscrew, said bracket being slotted at each end and having a pair of guide-disks journaled Within the slot at one end and engaging with the set-screw at the other.

5. The combination,witli the circular frame having the block secured to its side, of the sernicircular roller-frame having the series oi' rollers j ournaled therein and pivotally se-` cured at one end to the side of the circular frame in such a position that its free end is normally supported by the said stationary bloclz,and having pivotallysecured to its free end the slotted plate, and a set-screw passing through the said slotted plate into the said stationary block on the circular frame, an endless belt, and an endless cutting-blade, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the circular frame having an opening in one of its sides and having an outwardly projecting bracket dianietrically opposite to the said opening, apulley jonrnaled upon the side of the circular frame and having a belt-disk upon its outer side, a drive-pulleyjournaled upon the side of the outwardly-projecting bracket, a belt passing over the said pulley and around the beltdisk, the endless belt supported by and travcling around the circular frame, entering the opening in theside thereof and passing around the pulley journaled upon the side of the frame, and an endless cutting-blade itting tightly around and traveling with the exterior side of the endless belt, except at the point where it spans the opening in the side of t-he circular franle.

7. The combinationnvith the circular frame having an opening in one of its sides, of the seinicircular roller-frame carrying the series of rollers journaled therein, around which the endless belt and endless cutting-blade pass,

and pivotally secured at one end to the side of the circular traine, means for supporting and adjusting the free end of the said roller-frame, and the adjustable bracket having the guidedisks journaled therein, all constructed and arranged as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that l claini the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed niy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH THOMAS. Vitnesscs:

WILLIAM V. A. POE, LEWIS R. HILL. 

